The story of the universe. Volume 1 (of 4) : $b The starry skies
History
The story of the universe. Volume 1 (of 4) : $b The starry skies
Astronomy; Earth (Planet); Natural history
El-athâfi, the three stones which the nomadic Arab placed under his
pot or kettle in the form of an equilateral triangle to form the
hearth. Every triad of stars standing in a similar figure might be
called an Athâfi; for instance, Delta, Epsilon, and Rho in the Ram,
and the three on the head of Orion, which were actually likened to
one of these. In just so many words, however, the only stars that
occur under this name are Alpha, Epsilon, and Zeta in the Lyre, and
Sigma, Tau, and Upsilon in the Dragon.
El-kidr, the Pot, a ring of stars in the vicinity of the last Athâfi,
which was formed from a number of small stars of Cepheus and the Swan.
El-midschdah, the wooden twirling-stick (spit). A kitchen utensil of
similar triangular form was represented by the Hyades. The name in
course of time came to be restricted to the chief star of this group.
El-fekka, the sounding plate with the broken rim, or Kas’a
el-masâkhîm, the Beggar’s-dish. This name was given to the stars of
the Northern Crown, which stand in a circle open toward the northeast.
El-mîzân, the Scale-beam, an appropriate name for three stars in a
straight line. The ancient Arabs used it for Theta, Eta, and Delta in
the Eagle; the modern ones use it to distinguish the three stars on
the Belt and the three on the Sword of Orion, the former of which, on
account of their equal distance from each other, are called the true
scale-beam, and the latter the false one, on account of the unequal
intervals.
El-dsirâ, the Ell, a term which may fitly be applied to every pair of
conspicuous stars standing a certain distance from one another. It
was used for the two pairs of stars on the head of the Twins and in
the Little Dog.
El-ma’lef, the Manger—the name of the stars of the Cup which stand in
a circular form. The more familiar Manger in the Crab belongs to the
Greek Heavens.
El-kubba, the Traveling-tent, drawn by camels of the Arab’s female
apartment. This name was given by some to the stars of the Southern
Crown, while others, as has already been remarked, regard it as an
Ostrich Nest.
El-zaurak, the Boat, was represented by the chief stars of the
Phœnix. El-delv, the Well-Bucket, represented by the Square of
Pegasus, occurred more frequently than any other, as is shown by
the star-names relating to it—El-ferg, El-arkûwa, El-khereb, and
Elnaâïm. Elna’sch, the Bier, was applied to the well-known quadrangle
in the Great and Little Bear. The term particularly signifies
the death-bier, and taken in this sense each of the two biers is
accompanied by three mourning women—Benât—biers and mourners combined
are called Benât na’sch, literally Daughters of the Bier, _i. e._,
belonging to the Bier.
El-salîb, the Cross: one of these was referred to under the four
stars on the head of the Dragon, which others regarded as four mother
camels. A second was found in the stars of the Dolphin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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